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Beaverton will use red-light cameras to catch speeders

Warnings will start Saturday for violators at four intersections; tickets will start Oct. 15 at Cedar Hills Boulevard and Walker Road, and be phased in at the other locations.

Take heed, Beaverton drivers: Starting Saturday, Sept. 15, cameras already in place to catch red-light violators at four intersections will also be used to detect those who drive 11 mph or faster over the speed limit.

Beaverton Police say that until Oct. 15, drivers who exceed the speed limits will be issued only warnings.

After then, police will write tickets for drivers who violate the speed limit at Southwest Cedar Hills Boulevard and Walker Road.

Tickets will be phased in later this year or early next year for speeders through the other intersections:

The Oregon Legislature in 2017 made it possible for cities with red-light cameras to use them to enforce speeding violations of 11 mph above the limit during green- and yellow-light phases — and 21 mph above the limit during red-light phases.

According to Beaverton police, 3.7 million cars and trucks traveled through the four intersections between mid-2015 and mid-2016 — and just under 3 in 100 drivers (94,862) exceeded the speed limit by 11 mph or more. Some of them (3,495) exceeded the limit by 21 mph or more.

Under the 2017 law, the presumptive fine is $160 for the first speeding category, and $260 for the second category.

Assuming maximum fines are levied, Beaverton could collect millions of dollars as a result.

Red-light cameras have been authorized since 2001. Among the other metro-area cities with them: Portland, Sherwood and Tualatin.

The new speed enforcement by the Beaverton Police Department is made possible by the city's new vendor, Conduent, based in New Jersey. Police will review captured data for accuracy before issuing tickets electronically.

The cameras will continue to detect red-light violations.

When a car travels at 40 mph in a 30-mph zone, the chances of pedestrians getting hurt or killed rise from 40 percent to 80 percent.

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